Every school day, Redwood head coach Shaun Ball walks into the Rangers’ gymnasium and glances over to the north wall.

Near the top of that wall highlights the school’s sports accomplishments — either noting a team has won a Central Section or West Yosemite League title — in blue-and-white lettering.

But under the football heading, there’s a lot of open white space waiting to be filled.

In fact, the most recent year celebrating Redwood winning a WYL championship is 2004.

The Rangers have gone 12 years without capturing a league crown.

Ball, also a physical education teacher, and the Rangers (8-1, 4-1) are hoping to change that on Friday when they host the Mt. Whitney Pioneers (3-6, 2-3) for the 62nd annual Cowhide rivalry game.

Redwood can clinch, at least, its first share of the WYL title in more than a decade if it beats Mt. Whitney at Giant Chevrolet-Cadillac Mineral King Bowl. Game time is 7 p.m.

“It’s been a while,” Ball said of the Rangers’ WYL championship drought. “I look up at the gym every day, and I see the last league championship listed in the gym is ‘04. You want to be able to update that with a year that’s a lot more recent.”

Each day is filled with activities and festivities. The buildup to the Cowhide game is often so hyped, if players don’t stay focused, they can easily get distracted.

But for Ball’s club, despite the pageantry, the Rangers have stayed the course and realize what’s at stake — a Cowhide and a potential Visalia city title and WYL championship.

“The kids understand what’s on the line,” Ball said. “You don’t have to say a lot. They understand. I mean, you can stand on the corner of the school and you can see their [the Pioneers’] campus.

“I don’t see how any other game in this state can match it. It’s pretty special.”

Redwood opened the season with an undefeated 7-0 record, but was upset by the El Diamante Miners 19-9 on Oct. 21.

However, the Rangers rebounded in their very next game and defeated Hanford West 34-18 to keep their WYL title hopes alive.

Capturing a league championship has been one of the team’s top priorities this season, and a key reason for the Rangers’ success this year can be traced back to practice.

The Rangers’ commitment to daily preparation begins every Monday and includes just about every player on the team, especially the reserves.

Backups are asked to play key roles by simulating the opposing team’s offenses and defenses to give the first-team players a good look at practice.

If the reserves do their job and do it well, come Friday, the coaches’ game plan and hard work should come to fruition if the Rangers execute at a high level.

“It’s something we’ve been dreaming about since we were small,” Rangers senior running back Humberto Nunez said of the opportunity to earn a league crown. “From the beginning of the start of spring practice, we had our eye on the ball. Every day, we focused on it. Not only with the practice squad, but with the scout teams. The scout teams have really helped our first stringers, giving them the best work that they need. We just came out here strong, determined and with a goal.

“We’re still working. It’s not gonna stop until someone beats us, and that’s going to take someone’s very best to pull that off. We’re out here determined. We’re so excited for Friday. It’s ridiculous. Just thinking about it is giving me chills.”

Redwood quarterback Frankie Ayon scans the field for an open receiver against Mt. Whitney in the 2015 version of the Cowhide rivalry game.(Photo11: Juan Villa)

Redwood has won the last three Cowhide games by an average score of 40.3-13.6. The Rangers lead the all-time series 35-25-1.

Despite that success, the Rangers — who are are averaging 29.1 points per game while allowing only 18.2 — aren’t taking the Pioneers for granted.

“The mutual respect is always there,” Nunez said. “We respect them as a team, but then again at the end of the day, it’s no mercy for us. We’re going to go out there and attack. We’re going to go out there and pin our name back on the board, where it belongs. We’re just gonna go out there and play the game that we love with all the heart, strength and passion that we have.”

Aside from a WYL championship, Mt. Whitney still has plenty to play for — a Central Section Division III postseason spot and a Visalia city trophy.

If the Pioneers secure a Cowhide victory, they will make a return to the postseason for the first time since 2012. That year also happens to be the last time that they came out victors in the Cowhide game.

But for that to happen, Mt. Whitney must be able to find an identity on offense if they hope to stay neck-to-neck with a Redwood squad that is enjoying its best year in more than a decade.

The Pioneers are in the midst of a three-game skid, and have only scored 29 combined points during that stretch.

“It’s crazy,” Martin said about Cowhide week. “When I first got hired, every time I met somebody from Whitney — alumni, teacher, faculty — they always said ‘Coach, bring back the ‘Hide’. So until you’ve been in it, you don’t realize how big of a thing it really is, and so we try to keep it in perspective and try to focus on the things that we can control. We try not to get caught up in all the other stuff, but [it’s hard], you walk onto campus on Monday and you see all the decorations.”

If there’s a Mt. Whitney unit that is starting to play a little bit better, it’s the defense.

In their 32-14 loss to Golden West, the Pioneers surrendered 195 rushing yards in the first half alone and trailed the Trailblazers 29-0 at halftime.

But in the second half, it was another story.

Mt. Whitney contained Golden West’s explosive Wing-T attack, yielding just 107 rushing yards, and the Pioneers outplayed the Trailblazers, outscoring their WYL foe, 14-3, in the final two quarters.

“The second half of that game was the first time that our kids, all year, have really played for each other,” Martin said. “I think that showed in how we played. I’m hoping that we can continue that and try to focus on that team aspect of it, so we’re all together and do what we need to do in order to be successful.”

The Cowhide game usually draws a large crowd that may provide one of the best environments for a high school football contest in the section.

In the past, crowds of 10,000-plus — dressed in navy blue and maroon attire — have been in attendance, even in pouring rain, to watch the annual rivalry showdown.

For players, the atmosphere is unmatched.

“You always get the pre-game butterflies,” Mt. Whitney lineman Luis Aldana said. “But after the first hit, it’s all good. It’s just like any other game. Don’t let the crowd distract you. Just worry about your job.”

After Wednesday’s practice, Martin and his staff honored the Pioneers by hosting a program-wide team dinner, which also included the entire freshmen and junior varsity squads, on the Mt. Whitney campus.

It’s an ongoing tradition that has been kept in practice before Martin’s arrival in 2010.

The dinner also provides a great moment for the senior teammates to bond and reminisce one last time before suiting up in what may be the final football game of their life.

“If we go out and play four quarters of Pioneer football — play fast, play hard and finish — if we do those things, I think we can be successful,” Martin said. “If we play the way we’re supposed to play, we’ll be fine.”

Here are some players to watch for in the Cowhide game:

Mt. Whitney

Jose Cisneros, senior wide receiver: Because of an injury, Cisneros was pushed into action under center against Golden West, but he provided a spark, directing the Pioneers to two late touchdowns. He rushed for a career-high 80 yards in that loss. If he’s not called upon to quarterback the team on Friday, he’ll return to his receiver position, where he’s the Pioneers’ top pass-catcher with 33 receptions for 598 receiving yards and two TDs.

Jason Rosas, senior running back: Rosa leads the Pioneers with 693 yards and five TDs. He has recorded two games this season of 159 yards rushing or more, including a career-best 191 in a 20-15 win over Hanford West. The sturdy 5-foot-8, 170-pound tailback averages 6.1 yards per pop.

Bryant Wade, senior defensive back: Wade is a ball-hawking defender. He’s intercepted four passes this season and is second on the team in tackles with 65. He had a season-high 14 stops in the Pioneers’ loss to the Trailblazers.

Jed Whetstone, senior linebacker: Whetstone is the Pioneers’ top tackler. He leads the team with 69 stops and is averaging 8.6 tackles per game. The 5-foot-11, 175-pound linebacker has a high football IQ.

Michael Ynclan, senior quarterback: The Pioneers’ main signal-caller has missed the previous two games because of an injury, but is expected to return to the field on time for the Cowhide. In six games, he’s connected on 82-of-153 passes (53 percent) for 1,136 yards and eight TDs.

Redwood

Cooper Allen, senior safety/wide receiver: Allen hardly comes off the field. He starts at safety and also sees time at slot receiver. On top of that, he handles the kicking and punting duties. He is third on the team with 52 tackles and tied for the team-lead with two interceptions. On offense, he is one of the Rangers’ leading receivers with 14 catches for 244 yards and two TDs.

Frankie Ayon, senior quarterback: Ayon is the key piece to the Redwood offense. If he’s 100 percent healthy, the Rangers are nearly unstoppable with the 5-foot-11 165-pounder at the controls. Ayon has connected on 115-of-200 passes (57 percent) for 1,788 yards, 19 TDs and nine interceptions. He’s also second on the team with 286 rushing yards and three TDs. He has started at safety this season, too.

Michael Bean, senior running back: The 5-foot-9, 160-pound Bean has had his rushing totals hampered a bit by minor injuries, but when he’s healthy, he’s an effective ballcarrier. He’s coming off a season-high 141 rushing yards in the Rangers’ 34-18 win over the Hanford West Huskies. Bean is the team’s leading rusher with 467 yards and four TDs.

Kobe Garner, senior wide receiver/cornerback: A first-year varsity player, Garner is the biggest surprise of the season for the Rangers. The savvy basketball player translated his supreme basketball skills onto the gridiron and has become the team’s go-to receiver, hauling in a Rangers-high 34 receptions for 727 yards and 10 TDs. He’s averaging nearly 22 yards per catch, and has also intercepted two passes at corner.

Brayden Melvin, senior defensive end/tight end: Melvin is the Rangers’ top pass rusher with 71/2 sacks while also tallying 36 tackles. At tight end, the 5-foot-11, 185-pound senior has caught nine passes for 209 yards and a TD.

How to attend

The Redwood Rangers (8-1, 4-1) host the Mt. Whitney Pioneers (3-6, 2-3) on Friday for the 62nd annual Cowhide rivalry game at Giant Chevrolet-Cadillac Mineral King Bowl. Tickets for adults are $6 and $4 for students. Gates open at 5 p.m. Game time is 7 p.m. The Rangers lead the all-time series 35-25-1.